The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-18
A NARROW ESCAPE.
How DIR. Newton Was Nearly Con-
verified by George.

verified by George.
NEW YORK, July 16.-The story has never
yet been told of the narrow escape of the
Rev. DR.. Heber Newton from being caught
in the meshes amid which Father McGlynn
is now fioundering. All New Workers are
aware that the Rev Dr. Newton. beside
being an eloquent and scholarly clergyman
OF the Episcopal church, has for a dozen
years past been ranked among the social
retormers of the city, and has written
book which shows his affiliations to be with
a very radical school, AS far back, perhaps,
as 1880 he ran small paper which advo-
Gated cooperation, and last year he delivered
a course of lectures for workingmen upon
the labor question. Long before McGlynn
had identified himself with the George
theory of land taxation Newton had been
strongly tempted to take it up
as the cure-all for the social ills over
which he mourned. In this state of mind
George got hold of him, and he was soon
plying the Episcopal rector as he afterward
Piled the Catholic priest Newton is an
emotional man as well as a theologian, quite
ignorant of the wieS of the world and the
labyrlnths of political economy, and he be-
came deeply exercised over the novel theory
which promised so much more than all his
philanthropy. He was fascinated with the
notion that the crooked old world could all
be Strengthened out and the rough places all
made smooth by mere change in the Sin
cldence of taxation" accompanied by a
brass band. The thing wrought upon his
mind. He was besieged by the promoters
of the theory, and visited their meetings.
At last, three years ago, he preached the
subject in one of his Sunday morning ser
mons in the pulpit of his fashionable church,
and Mr.. George happened to be there and
welcomed the new convert with effusion.
Soon afterward he was a guest at
a dinner given by a coterie, at which
he was drawn out in speech
and the guileless clergyman spoke with
fervor of the new hope OF human
ity, About this time certain alleged heresies
brought him under the discipline of the
Episcopal Bishop, just as Father McGlynn
was recently brought under the discipline of
the Roman Catholic Archbishop. He stood
as Father McGlynn recently stood, on the
ragged edge About this | may here
quote from statement made TO me yester-
day by one of his intimate friends, who
said: THE struggle in DR.. Newton's mind
continued up to the spring of last year. The
George theorists felt sure that they had cap
tured the eminent rector, and that he would
be an acquisition of lncalCulable Importance
| to their side There were rumblings in
| his church as well as in his bosom
Mr.. George urged him to resign his pulpit,
throw up his rectorship, and join him as
bdNdUlOD.
| The affair reached its crisis one night, when,
under memorable circumstances, Mr. New
| ton took counsel with some trusted friends,
| i'll an interview which lasted till the lonely
| hours of the next morning. His mind was
i'll turmoil as to his duty. He is a brave
man, continued my informant, land had
| he seen the George theory to be of divine
origin, as claimed by Father McGlynn at a
| later period, he would have proudly and
| quickly thrown away the world for it. But,
as he wrestled with himself in the quiet of
| Garden City, he began to see the wisdom of
the course which he subsequently pursued
as rector of the Anthem Memorial church.
| He shook off the nightmare"
| These revelations of my informant agree
with what had heard from other sources.
| When the Labor party's campaign of last
| year in this city had opened, the Rev. DIR.
| Newton spoke at the first meeting in Chick
| ering Hall, which, by the way, was the
| meeting at which Father McGlynn made
| his first and last speech for George during
| the campaign. That was the first speech of
| Father McGlynn which brought upon him
| the first censure and the first punishment
| from Archbishop Corrigan. The Rev. DR..
| Newton suffered neither censure nor
| punishment for his speech, but he
never afterward appeared in public
| as an advocate of Georges
| candidacy, wholly retired from participa-
| ton in the canvass and ignored all appeals
to come out as a champion of the cause.
| Thus the learned, eloquent, radical, and SYM
pathetic Episcopal divine took a different
course from that taken by the Rev. Father
| McGlynn. Early in the present year he
| sailed from New York to take up his resi-
dence till next autumn in Europe, where he
is now enjoying the calm needed for his
minds relief.
1t is useless at this time, to indulge in any
| speculation as TO what would have befallen
| the Rev. DR.. Newton if he had taken the
| course that has been taken by Rev DR..
McGlypn. Q. BowERY.